Greenpeace South Asia yesterday sounded a renewed alarm after a rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution (WWA) confirmed that human-induced climate change significantly intensified the extreme rainfall that battered Sri Lanka during Cyclone Ditwah and fuelled severe flooding across the Malacca Strait.

Greenpeace South Asia said that according to the study, the five-day rainfall extremes, like those unleashed by Ditwah, are now 28% to 160% more intense due to the 1.3°C of global warming already driven by greenhouse-gas emissions. Warmer sea surface temperatures in the North Indian Ocean — 0.2°C above the 1991–2020 average — supplied the additional energy that powered the cyclone’s rapid strengthening and heavy downpours.

WWA researchers stressed that Sri Lanka’s existing vulnerabilities magnified the disaster’s impact. Steep highlands funnelled water into densely populated floodplains, while unplanned urbanisation in flood-prone areas heightened exposure. Breakdowns in ICT systems meant early warnings failed to reach many, leaving low-income and marginalised communities to absorb the worst of the cascading disruptions to transport, electricity and essential services.

Avinash Chanchal, Deputy Director of Greenpeace South Asia, said the human toll was worsened by forces far beyond the island’s control.”During Cyclone Ditwah, we saw people coming together — neighbours rescuing neighbours, volunteers working through the night,” he said. “But while ordinary Sri Lankans showed up for each other, the real culprits were nowhere to be seen. The WWA study confirms what we already knew: this disaster was intensified by the carbon pollution of the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies. They caused the crisis, yet it’s the frontline communities who pay the price.”

Greenpeace warned that events like Ditwah signal a dangerous new normal for the region.”With increasing incidents, like Cyclone Ditwah, it is clear that extreme weather events are no longer isolated,” said Kumar. “Communities in South Asia will continue to struggle to cope with such conditions.”

The organisation urged countries most responsible for historic emissions to respond decisively. “This is high time that developed-country governments stop pretending this is normal,” Greenpeace said. “They must immediately cut emissions, phase out fossil fuels, and deliver real finance for loss and damage. Anything less is a betrayal of the people already living on the frontlines of climate breakdown.”

Former Speaker and NPP Member of Parliament Asoka Ranwala, who was involved in a vehicular collision Thursday night, has been arrested by the police.

He was taken into custody on charges of dangerous driving and failing to prevent an accident.

Police said that the MP is currently receiving treatment at the Colombo National Hospital and remains under police protection.

The accident occurred on Thursday (11) when the jeep in which the former Speaker was travelling collided with a car.

Police confirmed that the collision took place at Denimulla in Sapugaskanda.

A 25-year-old woman, her 6-month-old infant, and 55-year-old mother, who were travelling in the car, sustained injuries and were hospitalised.

Police added that the infant has been transferred to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children for further treatment.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday accused the government of pushing an amendment to the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 in a manner that is “undemocratic” and lacking transparency.

Addressing the proposed changes, Premadasa said such a significant reform should not proceed without structured consultations with all relevant stakeholders, including academics, university administrators, and unions. He warned that the government is moving ahead without any formal dialogue or public clarity on the amendments.

The Opposition Leader highlighted that the proposed revisions would remove the current system under which deans and heads of departments are elected by university academics, transferring that authority to either the vice chancellor or the governing council. He cautioned that centralising such powers could create serious problems amid ongoing tensions in the higher education sector.

Premadasa alleged that, even before parliamentary approval, the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman had issued a letter directing vice chancellors to halt appointments of deans and department heads. He insisted that the instruction has no legal basis, contradicts established procedures, and violates existing law.

“The vice chancellors remain bound by the current law,” Premadasa said, claiming the government’s actions reflect an erosion of democratic practice and a move toward authoritarian decision-making.

He called on the government to temporarily suspend the amendment process and engage in wide-ranging consultations, insisting that reforms should be evidence-based and justifiable rather than measures that centralise power or weaken stakeholder participation.